Election steam is building up for a lone seat of cooperatives in Central Ware Housing Corporation(CWC). The two candidates Harbhajan Singh of Punjab and Virendra Singh of NCCF are busy garnering votes for their candidature.
Harbhajan Singh is said to be a protégé of former union agriculture Minister Balram Jakher while Virendra Singh comes from the party of present agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. Virendra Singh also happens to be Chairman of NCCF, apex body of consumer cooperatives and is said to be close to Sharad Pawar.
After winning a rather tough election to become the Chairman of NCCF, Virendra Singh has plunged headlong into election to come on the Board of Central Ware Housing Corporation.
The election is scheduled for 1st of November. CWC is a Public Sector Undertaking but has one representative from the cooperatives. It has a board of 15-16 members and is dominated by IAS officials followed by high profile Bankers. Giving cooperatives its due, one seat is allotted to cooperative sector.
There are 1007 votes spread across Indian states with the maximum representatives coming from UP. Only primary cooperative societies are its members. Both the leaders Harbhajan based in Punjab and Virendra in Mumbai are heading towards Delhi on 30th October.
Election is keenly contested with charges of allegation and counter allegations flying thick and fast. Talking to Indian cooperative Harbhajan Singh alleged that Virendra Singh is taking help of Sharad Pawar to influence voters. The votes coming by post are being included even after the due date (4th October) has lapsed, added Harbhajan.
Harbhajan claims that postal votes should be opened before the contestants which are not being done.
Refuting Harbhajan’s charges Virendra Singh claims that unlike cooperatives the elections in CWC takes place under strict supervision.
Watch these lines to know more about the CWC elections.